Give them the chance to enjoy days out in green spaces

Did you know that between March 2013 and February 2014, the English adult population enjoyed a staggering 2.93 billion visits to England's outdoors? This is the highest number for five years.

The Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment - MENE for short - has been running an annual survey since 2009**. The most recent survey shows that over the last 5 years, the UK's love for spending time relaxing and unwinding outdoors has increased. People are enjoying watching wildlife and taking in the scenery.

58% of the population said they made one leisure visit or more to the outdoors every week.

Between March 2013 and February 2014:

about 42.3 million adults resident in England made 2.93 billion visits to the natural environment.

1.3 billion visits to the natural environment were made for health or exercise

Having green spaces close to home are an increasingly important part of life today - 96% of people 'agree' or 'strongly agree' that having green spaces close to where they live is important.

People enjoy being outdoors

Respondents said that being outdoors made them feel 'calm and relaxed' and the percentage saying that a visit was a ‘refreshing and revitalising’ was at its highest in the most recent survey.

Dr Tim Hill, chief scientist at Natural England, said: ““We now have 5 years of data and it is clear that visits to the outdoors - whether it’s to a local green space, to one of our National Parks, a walk on the 2,500 miles of national trails, to a National Nature Reserve, or along a new section of England Coast Path - are all playing an increasingly important role in providing health and exercise opportunities for millions of people each year."

The latest MENE report shows a trend for the increased use of the natural environment as a 'green gym'. Half of the population of England lives within six miles of a Forestry Commission wood or forest, so there's plenty of opportunity to get involved in the great outdoors.

There are plenty of gift memberships you can give loved ones so that they can make the most of the beautiful green spaces England has to offer. Give them the chance to enjoy the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature.

**The MENE survey was undertaken by TNS on behalf of Natural England, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission. The first such survey was commissioned in 2009, and subsequent surveys have given a useful insight into how people use the natural environment in England.